Meltzer receives RIMS’ top honor

Canadian risk manager Susan Meltzer was honored Monday with the highest award bestowed by the Risk & Insurance Management Society (RIMS) at the society’s annual conference in Philadelphia.Meltzer, assistant vice president of risk management for Sun Life Financial, received the Harry & Dorothy Goodell Award for “furthering the goals of risk management and RIMS through outstanding achievement”.Meltzer is a former RIMS president, and was president of the Ontario Chapter (ORIMS) in 1989-1990. She was recognized with RIMS Canada’s highest honor, the Don Stuart Award, in 2001. Meltzer is a well-known industry voice and educator, and continues to serve the profession as president of the International Federation of Risk and Insurance Management Associations (IFRIMA). She is also currently working on the RIMS Canada Conference slated for Toronto in 2008, with co-chair and outgoing RIMS president Nancy Chambers, who was on hand to present the award Monday. Meltzer says “this is an exciting time for risk managers” because of the heightened awareness of the professsion within the corporate world, and she encouraged risk managers to be active within their organizations and within RIMS. Special mention was made of her mentor, the late Douglas Barlow, a former RIMS president and reknowned Canadian risk manager.Other awards presented included the Arthur Quern Quality Award, which went to Toronto-based Technical Safety and Standards Authority (TSSA) for its innovative risk-based inspection model.ORIMS was recognized for outstanding member services by a chapter, and the Canadian Capital chapter was honored as a “chapter of distinction”.